What does Paul mean when he talks about filling up that which is lacking in the afflictions of Christ if there is no deficiency of merit in Christ's suffering? Christ, Who performs the perfect sacrifice once and for all, nevertheless calls His church to bear witness to His suffering until He returns, and there is still a measure of suffering that must take place in the history of redemption. This suffering will not add anything to Christ's merit. Our suffering doesn't atone for anybody's sin, certainly not for our own, but God's redemptive historical plan has to be finished, and that plan includes the afflictions of the people of God. Paul, being acutely conscious of that, spoke of his filling up the agenda of suffering, and you and I must do the same.
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Many people resent the suggestion that they seek counsel in their selection of a marriage partner. After all, isn't such a selection an intensely personal and private matter? However personal and private the decision might be, it is one of grave importance to the future of the couple and their potential offspring, their families, and their friends.
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Paul states in 1 Corinthians 7:8-9: "To the unmarried and widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion." The distinction is between the good and the better. Here Paul introduces the idea of burning, not of the punitive fires of hell, but of the passions of the biological nature, which God has given us. Paul is speaking very candidly when he points out that some people are not made for celibacy. Marriage is a perfectly honorable and legitimate option even for those who are most strongly motivated by sexual fulfillment and relief from sexual temptation and passion.
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Perhaps in no other area of human activity do Christians expend more decision-making energy than in the area of marriage. No wonder, since the decisions relevant to the marital relationship have such far-reaching effects on our lives. How a person feels about his marital status determines, in large part, his sense of fulfillment, his productivity, and his self-image. The reality and the seriousness of the marital relationship are brought home when we realize that the one who knows us most intimately; the one before whom we are the most fragile and vulnerable; and the one who powerfully shapes and influences our lives--this one is none other than our marriage partner. That is why entering into the marital relationship is not something anyone should take lightly.
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On the recent Ligonier tour of Reformation sites, Dr. Sproul met up with Sebastian Heck Ligonier's German project coordinator in the historic city of Heidelberg where he is church planting. Being involved with publishing both in print and on the internet, Sebastian is the leader of a movement called Reformation2Germany and currently partnering with Ligonier in resource production. Dr. Sproul was surprised during the visit when Sebastian presented him with a copy of Was am Kreuz geschah (The Truth of the Cross) hot off the press.
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In The Consequences of Ideas, recently released for the first time in paperback, readers are challenged to take the consequences of ideas seriously through this expert survey of history's most influential philosophies--philosophies that continue to shape our lives for better or for worse today. R.C. Sproul surveys the ongoing impact of history's most influential philosophers -- including Plato, Aquinas, Descartes, Kant, Freud, and Nietzsche -- and urges reader to take prevailing cultural mind-sets seriously.
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The year 2009 marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. A number of publishers are celebrating this 'Calvin Quincentennial' by releasing new books on the life, work, and teaching of Calvin. Among these are a new book titled Living for God's Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism by Joel R. Beeke. Dr. Beeke is well qualified to edit and co-author such a volume. He is the president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and the pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has written, co-authored, or edited over fifty books, and he has also written fifteen hundred articles for various publications, including Tabletalk.
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As far as John Calvin was concerned, almost nothing was more urgent for the church than the reformation of pastoral ministry. For centuries, most ministers had been shockingly ignorant of the Scriptures and thus ill-equipped to preach the gospel. As Calvin said in one debate with a Catholic cardinal (pretending to defend the Protestant cause before God): "Those who were regarded as the leaders of faith neither understood Thy Word, nor greatly cared for it. They drove unhappy people to and fro with strange doctrines, and deluded them with I know not what follies."
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After several years of planning, it's with no small amount of gratitude to the Lord that we acknowledge today's first formal Doctor of Ministry class at Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies. Dr. R.C. Sproul will teach the class of pastors from around the country who have travelled to study the doctrine of Justification. Next week, Dr. Steven Lawson flies in to teach the men the theology and practice of Preaching. Classes will meet in the new facilities at Saint Andrew's while our new campus awaits renovation.
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